Segments in this Video

Overfishing in Jamaica(04:30)

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Fishing is a vital industry for people of the north shore, but global warming and over-fishing have drastically decreased the number of fish in the region. Llewelyn Meggs talks about how tourism and fishing make up much of the local economy.

Dead Corals in Jamaica (06:52)

Andrew Bruckner studies the coral reefs to see how they have changed since 1979. The destruction of the reef appears to have started with Hurricane Al in 1980 but overfishing of algae-consuming fish exacerbated the situation. Local fishermen discuss creating sustainable fishing practices.

Replenishing the Fish Population(05:22)

Meggs and Bruckner travel to the Kingston fish market to question locals about a healthy fish population. Meggs discusses the plan to create a no-fishing zone within Pedro Bank.

Invasive Species in Jamaica(06:31)

Lionfish are not native to the Caribbean and have no known predators; these fish can devour up to half a million local species annually. Locals remove lionfish from the sanctuary, and conservationists teach fishermen how to handle venomous spines. Azra Blythe-Mallet works to sustainably revamp the fishing industry.

Description

These reefs, once the most famous in the world, are now struggling just to survive. Local fishermen have to work much harder to make a living. They team up with conservationists, the Jamaican government, and “Golden Shadow” scientists to set up a fishing sanctuary, hoping to restore their endangered fishery.